We check in with people at each stage of the cash transfer process to see how things are going. Take a look at some of their stories as they appear here in real-time.
Learn more about how recipients opt in to share their stories.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
In opinion, GiveDirectly gives us transfers which have us. For example, I have bought a goat through the transfers and those that are getting the transfers are really progressing. I do not have any suggestion on ways GiveDirectly can improve.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I received KES 1200 during the first round of transfers. I used the transfer to buy 2 hens which were going for KES 500. KES 500 was used for food and KES 170 I bought soap with.
For the second transfer, I purchased a goat, bought some food and used some in my food vending business. The goat was KES 2000, KES 500 is what I used for food and KES 500 was spent on my 'chapati' business.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
1200 KES ($11 USD)
access_time over 2 years ago
attach_money
Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
I had left my phone somewhere for it to charge and I was I didn't think I would receive transfers that day. Thet evening, I went to pick it up and upon opening the messager, an Mpesa message popped up. I was so happy that we would at last have food after two days of starving.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
Nowadays, I am hopeful and I wouldn't sleep hungry because I can possibly walk into a shop and borrow knowing I would be able to settle the debt when I receive the transfers.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
By the time I received the transfers, I had spend two days without food and it wasn't easy especially for my young kids who couldn't hold on anymore. I had no livestock that I could sell and my husband could find any casual job to do. We had lost hope, we were in despair and we didn't know what was next for us. Receiving transfers that day seemed miraculous, we couldn't ask for more then and we were really thankful to GiveDirectly for coming in handy when we needed help the most. I spend KES 500 to buy food, KES 500 to buy chicken and KES 150 to buy soap. Nowadays, I looked at chicken that I bought and say to myself, look, I know you will multiply and you will be beneficial to me in future. I'm so grateful to GiveDirectly for the support.
Enrolled
access_time over 2 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
I have always wanted to acquire some assets of high value that I can turn into cash in times of emergency, but it hasn't been easy. When I get this transfers I will first buy goats while still figuring out other projects. This is because they're are very easy to rare even in times of draught as they can brows on few shrubs available. I have also noticed that my son who's just two years old right now, really likes them and has been crying a lot whenever I deny him a chance to go grazing with his peers.
What is the happiest part of your day?
The onset of rains has really elevated my moods as this signifys the beginning of a season of abundance. It has also relieved us from the struggles of walking long distances to get clean water everyday or having to spend a lot just to afford a decent meal. I'm happy we've even started farming and very soon they'll be food all over the place.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
Food security remains our biggest issue as we're both unemployed and what my husband does can't provide for our family of three. All these stems from the prolonged draught that's currently ongoing. My husband is a fisherman at a local river called Bemualage, but because of the low levels of water currently he can't get good catch. Most of time he only brings home the much that we can eat but we still need money to acquire some other things as well.
